BROOKSVILLE, Fla. -- Members of the Hernando County Republican Party's executive committee met Thursday evening and agreed to send a letter to Commissioner Nicholas Nicholson, demanding his resignation.

• Commissioner Nicholas Nicholson was arrested Thursday
• He is accused of paying for sex, allowing prostitution at home
• GOP wants him to resign from post
• PREVIOUS: Deputies: Florida commissioner, 71, paid for sex from resident in his home

"We have had concerns about his behavior for years," Hernando GOP Chairman John Allocco said in a statement.

The reason for this latest action is Nicholson's arrest on Thursday for allegedly paying for sex and allowing prostitution to take place at his home. 

Allocco said the county Republican party asked him to step down and not run for reelection back in 2015, when information about a previous Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation involving Nicholson became public. 

"I wish that he would have taken our advice and used his time as an opportunity to straighten his life out," Allocco said.

"He decided not to step down and he was reelected by the people," said Hernando County Board of County Commissioners Chairman Steve Champion. 

Champion is a member of the GOP's executive committee and said the support to call for Nicholson's resignation was overwhelming.

"We do not condone any kind of behavior like this, and the Republican Party definitely does not condone any kind of behavior like this, so that's why we took swift action on the same day," Champion said.

Champion said only the governor's office could remove Nicholson from his seat.

MicKinley Lewis, a spokesperson for the governor, said in a statement: "Governor (Rick) Scott expects all elected officials to behave ethically and responsibly. Our office is aware of this and reviewing the details."

County officials said if Nicholson is removed, it would also be up to the governor to either call a special election or appoint a new commissioner.

Nicholson did not respond to requests for comment.